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White House Changes End-of-Life Medicare Rules

Reversing a potentially controversial decision, the Obama administration will drop references to end-of-life counseling from the ground rules for Medicare's new annual checkup, a White House official said Wednesday.

The latest shift on the sensitive subject comes ahead of a vote next week in the new GOP-led House to repeal President Barack Obama's landmark health care overhaul.

The decision is not likely to have much impact on patients and doctors already discussing options for care in the last stages of life. For example, voluntary end-of-life planning is already covered as part of the "Welcome to Medicare" doctor visit, available to seniors within the first year of joining the program.

This is my industry. I started two hospices in my life. I'm also as right wing as you'll get.

Let me be very clear. The wrong thing here is the fear-mongering. Educating people about their options is not a "death panel." It's giving people their options. Hospice is a viable option that gives people more support at the end of life than they would otherwise receive. When the government decided what services you may or may not receive - THAT is the death panel. Not the education about options.

That is not to say that the health care reform is, in itself, is entirely a good thing. There are good things about the bill beyond the education I refer to above. Disallowing insurance companies to drop kids who are sick is also a good thing. Ther are other good items in the bill.

BUT.... I am totally against the goverment mandating us to all get health insurance or be subject to a fine. I do belive in heatlh insurance. I've paid 100% of my employee's insurance for the last 8 years, but because rates raised so much they now must contribute a small fee each pay. Oddly enough, the price went up when the government came in to solve all of the ills. There was just no way you can make it cheaper like Obama/Pelosi/Reed promised.

But again, educating people is not a death panel. The Republicans who use this tactic do a disservice to the public and act shamefully. Is it that important to score a few votes? Should people withstand a very ugly death just so political power can be gained? Why shouldn't people be educated! How does this make those Republicans any better than the Democrats they disdain if they themselves stoop to such repugnant tactics.

This is my industry. I started two hospices in my life. I'm also as right wing as you'll get.

Let me be very clear. The wrong thing here is the fear-mongering. Educating people about their options is not a "death panel." It's giving people their options. Hospice is a viable option that gives people more support at the end of life than they would otherwise receive. When the government decided what services you may or may not receive - THAT is the death panel. Not the education about options.

That is not to say that the health care reform is, in itself, is entirely a good thing. There are good things about the bill beyond the education I refer to above. Disallowing insurance companies to drop kids who are sick is also a good thing. Ther are other good items in the bill.

BUT.... I am totally against the goverment mandating us to all get health insurance or be subject to a fine. I do belive in heatlh insurance. I've paid 100% of my employee's insurance for the last 8 years, but because rates raised so much they now must contribute a small fee each pay. Oddly enough, the price went up when the government came in to solve all of the ills. There was just no way you can make it cheaper like Obama/Pelosi/Reed promised.

But again, educating people is not a death panel. The Republicans who use this tactic do a disservice to the public and act shamefully. Is it that important to score a few votes? Should people withstand a very ugly death just so political power can be gained? Why shouldn't people be educated! How does this make those Republicans any better than the Democrats they disdain if they themselves stoop to such repugnant tactics.

One of the best posts I've ever read. Great job.

"Politics is the Art of Looking for Trouble, Finding it Everywhere, Diagnosing it Incorrectly, and Applying the Wrong Remedies"